Something Lyan had been understanding over time was that the game didn't simply stop just because a class ended.
If he stayed connected, the world kept moving.
And what came after physical education was something he didn't entirely expect, or rather, he didn't expect the game to include it with that level of detail.
Going back home.
When the physical education class ended, he expected a loading screen or another new scenario, but instead he had to walk to the apartment where the NPC he controlled lived.
- - - -
As he walked, Reid was at his side.
Although describing it as walking was… generous as a description. He was moving forward, yes, but with his body slightly hunched and an expression on his face somewhere between exhaustion and, apparently, existential regret…
He had gone ten minutes without saying anything useful.
Lyan glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
"You're fucking terrible physically." he said, unable to stop a laugh from slipping out.
Reid looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Fuck you."
But then he let out a short laugh, stripping any hint of aggression from his response.
Lyan laughed as well. And just like that, the two of them kept walking in silence for a moment, with the noise of the street around them. Then Lyan noticed that Reid was glancing at him.
He didn't say anything, just looked at him.
"What is it?" Lyan asked.
Reid hesitated at that, unsure whether to say what was on his mind. Normally, he didn't hesitate before saying things, he just said them, and that was it.
So the fact that he took a second to choose how to start made Lyan pay more attention.
"It's a weird question." Reid began, looking ahead as he walked.
"Go on."
"Is it just me, or has Sera been… I don't know… really affectionate with you lately?"
Lyan didn't respond immediately.
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing." Reid clarified quickly, as if he wanted to make it clear it wasn't criticism out of jealousy. "It's just… weird. She's not like that with anyone normally. And today in class it seemed like she was even rubbing against your—"
"It must be your imagination." Lyan said thoughtfully, cutting him off before he finished.
Reid looked at him.
Lyan was just staring ahead, processing what he had just said.
'It makes sense, right? I'm the protagonist of the game. Sera is one of the main characters. Of course the game is going to make her get closer…'
It was the basic mechanic. The system pushed interactions toward him because that was the point. There was no real mystery there.
Then he turned his head toward Reid and looked at him with a smile.
"Besides… any woman would go crazy for me."
Reid looked at him for a second, processing the joke before laughing. And so they spent the rest of the walk laughing at the stupid things they said before splitting up, each going their separate way.
Speaking of that…
The outside was incredible in a way that went beyond graphics. There were other NPCs walking along the sidewalks, each with their own apparent destination.
Some talked to each other as they walked. Others looked at their phones, and a couple crossed the street in a hurry.
No one was standing around waiting for Lyan to get close to trigger their dialogue.
They just seemed to… exist.
'This must have cost a fortune to program…' he thought, looking around with genuine curiosity as he kept walking.
Every detail was a resource expense that most games didn't bother with. And yet there they were, living their little background routines as if the world didn't revolve around the player.
Which, in a way, felt good.
The address had come to his mind all at once as soon as the physics class ended, as if it had always been there. The street names, the building number, and the floor along with the apartment.
Apparently, he lived in a building that turned out to be in a much more central area than where he actually lived. His apartment was on the sixth floor.
And it was, according to the images he already had in his head, easily three times bigger than his real room. With windows facing the street, a kitchen, and a living room with furniture that wasn't second-hand, and a bed that probably wouldn't sink in the middle.
All the comforts he could never afford in real life.
'Of course…' he thought, recalling the new memories he had. 'It was to be expected that the protagonist would live better than me.'
- - - -
When he arrived at the place, the view from the outside was already different from what he was used to. The façade was clean, with light stone and large windows.
The doorman greeted him with a nod when he entered, and Lyan returned the gesture automatically.
The elevator took him to the sixth floor without making a sound, which was much more comfortable than taking the stairs.
Even though he already had a clear image of what the apartment looked like, he wanted to see it with his "own eyes" before logging out of the game.
When he opened the door, he stood in the doorway for a moment.
'Wow…'
It was luxurious.
Not in an exaggerated or over-the-top way, but the kind you could notice in the details. The floor was dark wood, polished and without marks.
The living room furniture was simple, but clearly expensive. There was a large window facing the street that let in a soft afternoon light that fell directly over the couch.
Lyan walked in slowly, looking at every corner as he moved forward.
The bedroom had an excessively large bed that, compared to his mattress, was much more comfortable.
The desk next to the window was spacious, orderly, and had a good-sized lamp on one side.
Without further thought, he kept looking at everything in the room without exaggeration, the floor, the walls, and even a framed abstract landscape painting on one of the walls, with a dark wood frame that matched the floor.
Lyan looked at it for a second as he passed by.
Then he walked toward the window.
He didn't notice the small dark lens, perfectly integrated into the frame of the painting, pointed toward the interior of the apartment.
He didn't notice the tiny red dot that blinked just once when he passed in front of it.
And he also didn't notice that someone, somewhere, was watching him.